Review of the album Epic Songs of Warriors and Heroes
In 1981 the Domna Samiou Greek Folk Music Association was founded, aims to safeguard the Greek cultural musical heritage in the form of LP/CD recordings. In this beautiful edition Epic Songs of Warriors and Heroes we find songs about brave warriors, high-ranking gentlemen but also humble soldiers.
Domna Samiou (1928 – 2012) was an inspired Greek musician, researcher and interpreter of Greek folk music. For over 50 years, she collected Greek songs to categorize them and make them available to a wide audience. Also on this re-released double CD Epic Songs of Warriors and Heroes are songs arranged and sung by Samiou. All arrangements remain close to the original, as do the arrangements made by some 20 musicians of various Greek songs, as well as the recordings made on location.
The music is pure, pristine with a lively and narrative character. The Domna Samiou Greek Folk Music Association compiled 12 double CDs, each with a theme including Songs of Dame Sea (maritime songs), The Great North Wind (with children’s music) or Epic Songs of Warriors and Heroes.
In this edition the (anti) heroes are discussed: the young soldier (A Young Lad), a widow / nun with a (forbidden) child (A Widow Bore a Child, A Nun With Child), a song about the admiral Tsamados (Tsamandas), or the rich Andronikos who eventually becomes a father and is allowed to marry his (forbidden) sweetheart (Andronikos and the Princess, Feasting Lords Eating and Drinking).
The songs are both instrumental and vocal and always in different settings, including the clarinet, the beautiful kanun (plank zither) lute, bendir (frame drum), flute, kemence or lyra (violin) and darbouka (vase drum). In more than 250 pages you will find all information about the music in Greek and English, with wonderful illustrations.
Epic Songs of Warriors and Heroes is truly another elaborate Greek Folk Music Association release: detailed, expertly listened to, lovely to read and enjoyed.
Mattie Poels
accessed at 30/6/2020
https://www.musicframes.nl
